Silver and Stakes
by V.T. Reaver
Summary: Josef falls in love with a vampire slayer. Curiously at the same time, the medieval brothers have one by one mysteriously vanished.Beth and Mick are on the case R&R plz Josefxoc
1. Chapter 1

It was simple back then. If they were suspected then they were put to trial and executed. There was blood shed, war and ravaging. Vampire blood lines were created, despite the fact that they couldn't reproduce. It was simple, vampires selected the most powerful of our race crossed their cold undead fingers and hoped for something special. And then lucky for them but unlucky for us, vampires with gifts were born. Some were mild, a better sense of smell than other blood suckers. Perhaps they were just faster, or stronger.

The humans had to adapt to this creating their own special. Human blood lines were manipulated by their elders and they kissed their crosses hoping for something. Wars got bigger as humans and vampires got more and more "special". Vampire hunter bloodlines stretched for generations, and eventually they became immune to the vampires bite, they could no longer be turned. The wars were the worst at this point, and the vampires finally went into hiding. That's when the complications came

They spread rumors of their demise and fed in secrecy. The humans were satisfied and they moved on to "witches", then pagans, then scientologists.

The human bloodlines slowly diluted back into common human blood. But then there was an oddity, a human was born with instincts to kill. She was immune to turning, could sense them, and had speed almost parallel to them. She never pointed them out as a child, lest her parents think her crazy.

Samantha took of sip of the Pepsi in her wine glass. She wasn't quite old enough to drink yet. Her business associate on the other side however was downing a glass of red wine. She was working as an engineer at one of the most respected companies in the world. Sam had graduated collage at the tender age of seventeen. It was all due to her unexpected gene pool.

She was eighteen now and still less respected than the mail guy that gave them their checks every week, but it was sweet to be paid double the next guy. Charlie was examining the red wine with great interest but Sam knew he was human, maybe a vampire trustee but all the same, he was still human.

"Tomorrow we are going to meet one of the most important men in the city" Charlie said in a condescending way. "Josef Kostan, he's just your average hedge trader" Sam replied. Charlie sighed "Yes, he's just your average multibillion dollar man". Sam put a mental note in her head "Possibly a vamp lover" Sam finished her Pepsi and was about to get up when someone swept up behind her.

Sam knew it was a vampire and turned instinctively. It was Josef who was just a second before at the other table overhearing their conversation. "Charlie, it's been a while" Josef said. Charlie smiled "We were just talking about you, it's going to be a big meeting tomorrow". Josef smiled a fake but convincing smile "And who is this lovely lady, you know its illegal to be dating minors Charlie". Sam winced as his lewdness.

"This is Sam, she's a bit on the young side, but she's your chief engineer" Charlie replied. Sam shook Josef's hand, but her fake smile faded as he pulled her hand to his lips. "A forgive me, this is the age of baby genius' and such" There was a moment of silence as Sam quickly pulled her hand away, clearly annoyed by Josef.

Josef was baffled, it was usually woman that fell to their knees, and on occasion bent over backwards. "Do you mind if I join you?" he asked. Sam was going to say that she was about to leave, but Charlie the kiss ass spoke first. "Sure we were just ordering dessert". When Charlie said dessert, Josef took an odd glance at Sam. Josef then motioned for someone to come over. It was another vampire. Sam's instincts were telling her to run but she couldn't. She rationalized that this was a public place.

They both sat down, so that this vampire friend was beside her and Josef was opposite her. "This is my friend Mick" said Josef lightly. "It's nice to meet you" Mick said. Sam had to get herself out of there before she became part of the "wine" list. Sam suddenly got up. "You know it's getting pretty late, I'd better get going," Sam said. Josef was about to say something but Sam cut him off. "You should get a bite of the cherry pie here though, it's to die for". Sam had said bite slightly louder on purpose. Her pulse was beginning to race. They suspected that she at least knew they were different.

Sam left and was walking to her apartment. It was only a few blocks away. The cool night air calmed her for the first two blocks then she sensed that she was being followed. She knew it was Josef about grab a bite of her. The scent was his, she was sure of this. She turned to see him walking towards her. She walked slightly backwards so that her back was to a white picket fence.

She grabbed hold of one picket, ready to rip the top of and jab it into this small intestine. "You again" She said calmly, keeping even her pulse under control. "Yeah, they didn't have the dessert that I like" He replied with a slight grin. "You forgot your purse at the restaurant" He said and then presented her purse. "Don't worry, it's all still there, I'm worth millions". He smiled. Sam realized that he was hitting on her and also throwing around the word money. Sam rolled her eyes. "Actually I'm worth millions too" Her hand tensed on the picket fence piece. She was worth actually only one million. Then he noticed her grip on the fence. "Hey, am I so charming that you need that fence for support"

Sam wasn't going to let go of that safety net, even though he offered his arm as her brace now. She was at her limits, soon her pulse would race, or she would begin to sweat. He would realize how she was really feeling. Sam smiled pulling the last of her control "I think you better be going, I'm just going to make a call"

Josef left again walking back in the directing that he came. He was flabbergasted by now, did this girl have immunity to vampires sex appeal. It was a blow to his ego for sure. Sam called her friend to for real just in case he was still listening.

"So how was your date with Charlie" Rose asked. Sam looked down the road and saw with that Josef paused at the word date. Josef was already a block away but Sam had very good vision. Sam sighed "For the last time rose, it's not a date". Sam looked again, Josef was gone from sight but she knew he had only disappeared and begun to follow her again.

If the normal way of getting into her apartment didn't work, he would be sure to try something else. Sam quickly rushed up the stairs to her apartment. She closed the door, and inhaled, he was on the roof. Sam was safe though, her house was full of weapons.

Outside Josef was on the roof wondering why he was there. Why was he so attracted to this girl, aside from the scent of her blood? It must have been an all red meat diet that made her smell so good. He had to control himself though, lest he call the cleaners. Josef didn't want to hurt this girl. He knew that someone with her intelligence was rare, and he didn't want to find another chief engineer for his building.

He listened to her shower and then fall asleep. Was he going crazy? He shook it off and ran home to his icebox. Sam awoke at six, knowing that she would have to face Josef again at the meeting. Sam wore two silver rings on each hand. It looked tasteful rather that excessive. She put on a silver necklace as well, but decided to stop there and but some white gold earrings on. She needed to play it safe, and unobvious.

She walked outside of her apartment and into her car. Her sense of smell was strong but in the car all her senses were blurred making her feel more normal. She parked her car on the third level of his building, there were many vampires here but she was prepared to deal if she was cornered. She walked slowly into the elevator, and somehow Josef had made his way into it before it closed.

"Top floor Sam" Josef said politely. "What a coincidence" Sam said, though she knew it wasn't. She realized then that she had become the prey, and she wondered if she would end up dead or turned. She would kill herself if she was turned. Sam herself didn't know that she could survive a turn, and stay human. The elevator reached the top floor, and Josef opened an imagined door for Sam as the elevator door opened.

Sam stepped through. Half the people there were vamps, some old and some relatively new. She was working on the different scents and how they corresponded with age. It was the decaying scent that marked their age. Sam knew Josef was the oldest here. Though probably not on purpose all the humans were on one side, they still had some instinct to group together.

Sam sat between a human and a vampire. It was the last seat left after Josef took his. The light went dark and a slideshow was presented. The briefing was boring but Sam retained it all. She inhaled deeply to catch all the scents in the room again. Then suddenly a Vampire on the other side stiffened. He had the slightest sense that she was more than the others. "Marcos, why don't you just pay attention to the slides" Josef said, catching him staring at Sam made Josef a little less humorous. Marcos turned his head to the slide but he whispered something that only the vampires in the room could hear.

Sam strained to listen but her hearing though far greater than a normal human, was missing most of his words.

"The girl is dangerous……… she knows" was all that Sam heard. Sam pretended to be interested to the slides, and even copied down some things. She controlled her emotions, and allowed nothing to give her panic away.

"And I thought I was paranoid" Josef replied in low tones. Sam had to quit, she couldn't do this every day. Her life would be in grave danger from nine to five. One of the Vampires inhaled deeply capturing her abnormalities in his mind. She stiffened, and Josef looked at her with new eyes.

"She does know" Josef said "Maybe she can even hear us"

Sam looked at him now. She was ready to defend herself. Then suddenly the vampires in the room looked at her. She then looked to her right, how many of them knew. Suddenly Josef turned the light on. "Alright, let's all spill the beans". Josef said now leaning over to Sam. "They all know, and I know you know".

Sam wasn't going to play stupid so she remained silent. "I'm you average seventeenth century vampire". Sam looked around for a moment to assess her options. She suddenly scraped her hand across the glass table. Fragments of silver from her rings and dust from the scraped glass flew into the air. Josef was momentarily blinded. Sam took that second to get to the door. Then six vampires surrounded her. The door was glass as well. She quickly smashed the glass with her near vampiric strength. The knuckles of her hand were bleeding slightly. She got out of the way as the shards pierced them and stunned them.

Josef was the only one left. He was impressed that a girl could take on six vampires. His fangs were bared. "Is this what you want blood sucker" Sam said showing her slightly bloodied knuckles. Josef did want her enticing blood, but it would suck to have it only once. But then again it didn't look like she wanted to be a freshie. Josef charged at her, thinking she would be easy prey now that all the dangerous glass objects were out of reach.

Sam delivered a kick that a normal human martial arts master couldn't. Josef was sent back, but now he had upgraded her fighting skills. "What exactly are you Sam" Josef said. "Hmmm, your executioner" She said sarcastically. Sam saw all the humans flee from the room. She wasn't sure if this was good or bad. They might be calling for back up.

"You can't be human" Josef said and inhaled "But you no vampire". Sam took a step back, distance was good, and conversation would keep her alive. "You old enough to know Josef, you were alive back when humans still had bloodlines solely on killing your kind" Sam replied. Josef grinned, which looked savage on his vampiric face "You're a hunter of my kind, bred for this purpose to kill". Sam shifted "I'd like to think of myself as the only cure to vampirism" She said. Josef laughed "Do you have any code of honor"

"My code is simple" Sam said as she picked up a large shard of glass. "I hunt any feral ones, and any who are stupid enough to attack me" She pointed to glass to Josef now. "I have codes too, all I ask is secrecy, you keep my secret and I'll let you out of here unscathed". Sam watched confused as Josef put back on his human face.

Sam let the large glass shard in her hand fall and shatter at her side. "I quit" She said firmly and walked through the shatter glass door. "Bill me" was the last thing she uttered as she walked into the elevator. Josef was left standing there trying to control his need. He wanted right now to run into the elevator at vampiric speed and do unspeakable things to Sam. Josef just stood there, fearing that if he make a move that he would accidentally kill the girl. Sam was in her car now driving home. Her knuckles were still bleeding. She needed to get herself cleaned up. She walked up the stairs to her apartment, but before she opened the door she inhaled.

It was that other vampire Mick, and a human girl. They were rummaging through her things. She quickly opened the door, only to find that her apartment was empty. She inhaled, they were still there. "Mick is it, you know breaking and entering is against the law" She said into the silence.

Both the human and the vampire came out of hiding. "I'm so sorry for the intrusion" Mick said. The human girl looked familiar "You're that reporter from buzzwire" Sam said, as her brows tensed. "Why are you both in my apartment" Sam demanded. "Lately many of the higher vampires have been found dead" Mick started. "So what I'm a suspect, well I don't see what the problem is, a few less parasites out there" Sam interrupted. "So it was you?" Mick questioned. Sam was still for a moment "It wasn't me, but I commend whoever took the initiative" Sam replied.

"You sure have a lot of weapons around for protection" Mick accused. "I didn't kill those vampires, I only hunt feral vampires" Sam said as she bent down reaching under the table for a stake. She tossed playfully in her hand. "And maybe I'll take a shot at your rich friend too, but that's my list". Mick tensed "You're after Josef?" He questioned. Sam shook her head "He's after me". Then as if by magic Josef appeared at the door.

"She took out six of my top vampires all at once, and I'm the dangerous one" Josef laughed. "You know I almost wish I was feral like in my younger days, at least then I would have more of your attention Sam". Sam backed up, holding the stake in front of her.

"Oh Sam, If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead" Josef said, but still had a grin on his face. "Somehow, I doubt that" Sam said tensing. She threw the stake at Josef. He slid to the left but the stake managed to graze his arm. "She a dangerous human, Mick, I think we have our culprit" Josef said. Sam though for a moment, "I didn't kill any of those vampires, and there aren't any more people like me out there" Sam then inhaled and sensed another presence. "Who else is here?" She said.

Both Josef and Mick then inhaled and picked up another vampiric scent. Josef quickly went to Sam side, who was reluctant to accept his protection. An instant later, someone crashed into the window, fangs barred at Sam. Josef quickly flung him to the side "Who do you work for" Josef said demandingly. "She's been killing us out, and you're protecting her" The vamp said as it got up off the floor, amazingly unscathed by the glass. Sam wondered how he knew to jump in without getting paralyzed by the glass shards. It must have been something with the physics. She would have to analyze it later

Josef was already pinning him to the wall. "You're working for the brothers aren't you?" Josef said threateningly. His grasp tightened on the victims neck. "Yea, I'm working for the brothers, to exterminate her before she kills them all"

Sam's accelerated intelligence kicked in right then. "It's obvious that you're lying. If the brothers really thought I was a threat they would have come themselves. The threat is a little closer to home, say the brother that hired you is knocking off his own brothers to concentrate the power" Sam said. The assassin vampire looked away. It was as good as a conformation. "Sounds like something Lance would do" Josef injected. Sam took a deep breath. She had to be sure, and there was a method for her to derive the truth.

"Hold him still" Sam commanded Josef. She then took the vampire's arm, and bit into it. At first the vampire struggled but then he fell into a trance. Sam saw visions passing through from his brain to hers. There were grotesque feedings scenes. Then there was a woman, ordering him around. Her name was obscured because the vampire was struggling to keep information. She was the sister in the royal family.

Sam turned away, spitting out the blood in her mouth. She wiped the rest off with her sleeve. "Was there a girl in this family of brothers?"Sam asked. The scarring on her knuckles from breaking the glass door began to heal. "Coralline, is she behind this?" Mick asked. Josef's eyebrows tensed as he dropped the now knocked out vampire. "How about you just explain what just happened" Josef asked.

"It's an interrogation method, memories straight from the source" Sam said "But it has setbacks, I temporary inherit the traits of a vampire". The scars on Sam's knuckles were now completely gone. "Even bloodlust, but I didn't take too much so my body will be able to process it in a few hours" Sam shrugged. "Normal humans die when they drink vampire blood, even a half a cup will do you in" Josef screamed. "Relax, I'm not like normal humans, plus I'm smart than to OD on vamp blood" Sam said. Beth shifted uncomfortably.

"Who's Coralline?" Sam asked looking away from Josef's murderous glare. Mick was silent for a moment but then he decided to speak "She's my ex-wife, and she is definitely capable of committing this". Sam thought for a moment "This vampire wasn't supposed to succeed in killing me, if I die then the other brothers will no longer have reason to disappear". Sam shifted "I'll only truly be in danger, when Coralline knocks off enough of her brothers, so that she won't bother to keep me alive". Josef growled protectively "Your crazy ex-wife sure is crafty" he spat.

The vampire lying on the floor suddenly jerked back to life. Sam screamed and suddenly found herself holding on to Josef. It was Mick who decapitated him. Josef rather liked how Sam's body was pressed up against him. Josef smirked "No worries baby, I'll protect you from all the things that go bump in the night, but who will protect you from me?" Sam immediately let go of him, crossed her arms and let a pout form on her face. "As if" was all she managed to say.

"Where are you going to stay?" Beth questioned "If you have no place to go, you can stay with me" Mick scoffed "There's no way someone attracting that much danger is staying with you". Mick shuddered to think of a vampiric Coralline battling Sam, and Beth as a casualty. Sam looked around at her ruined apartment, she couldn't stay here either. "You're staying with me" Mick said. Beth suddenly felt a wave of insecurity. Sam was extremely beautiful, and probably a tempting slut. Sam's lovely brown eyes and ebony locks suddenly became very prominent to Beth. "And if Coralline comes, you're just going to let her waltz right in and kill her. You might even help her do the job" Beth said, though she knew he wouldn't. Mick looked indignant.

"Look I can move around, I'll be fine" Sam finally said. Josef involuntarily put his arms around Sam, as if to stop her from moving away from him. Sam's eyes widened "What do you think you're doing?". Josef inhaled her scent for a moment "You'll stay with me, I'll keep you safe"

Sam thought for a moment "Sure, you'll keep me safe from the things that go bump in the night but who will protect me from you?"


	2. Chapter 2

"You didn't have to pack so many weapons" Josef said as one of his guys carried Sam's bags in. Sam responded coldly, "It's not like I had a choice in the matter, so I thought I should be prepared just in case you wake up in the middle of night needing a snack". Josef quietly chuckled to himself. It was like the girl was reading his mind. "You know garlic doesn't actually do anything to us" Josef said as a pungent luggage bag passed him. "Yea I know, that was just for spite" Sam replied.

She then got a glimpse of her room, which currently was full of freshies. Sam then abruptly turned around "I'm not staying here with your whores". Josef thought for a moment "You could always stay in my room". Sam gave him a glared which silenced his antics, if only for the moment. He cleared his throat "Ladies, you shouldn't be in here, freshies is first floor". The four girls sighed. "Why can't we stay here, this room is so nice" said a pretty blonde. "Yea what does she got that we don't" said another girl. "Now ladies, she's not a freshie, guest stay on the second floor" Josef said with smooth vampiric undertones.

"You know, you never spend time with us" they said in unison. They all got up and on him pushing Sam to the side. "I'll be right back" Josef said and he was gone with the four of them. Sam rolled her eyes but couldn't swallow a slight feeling of jealousy. Sam began to unpack her many different weapons. The second bag was filled with her clothes. Sam sighed, how her life had changed since this morning.

Josef returned after fifteen minutes. Sam shrugged "That was fast, I can't imagine that you did them all". Josef was indignant. "I didn't do anything with them. Hmmm, is that a hint of jealousy in your voice" He said. Sam shrugged again. "Hey I understand, a vamp has needs, and since you're not getting a drop from, feel free drink from your surgically altered bimbos" Sam spat.

"I do feel free" Josef said as a hint of his vampiric face appeared over his visage for a moment. Sam at that point ushered him out of her room. Sam locked the door, though it didn't make her feel safe. Josef stood by the door for a moment but his need was calling, and it wasn't made any better by her. Sam inhaled and tasted that she was finally alone. It was getting late now.

Sam decided she would just hit the sack, and think about what to do tomorrow. She took a quick shower put on her PJ's and quickly fell asleep in the indecently luxurious bed. She had a dream which was very frightening. There were visions of vampires, and people running away. Sam herself only vague saw herself in the threshold of the chaos, as savior. Sam awoke with a start. It was still night. She checked her watch on the bed side table. It was two, and ungodly hour. Sam took a deep breath to cleanse her feelings and realized she wasn't alone.

She glared into the darkness and saw a figure in the shadows. "Josef, why are you watching me sleep pervert" Sam said to the figure. Josef stepped out the shadow into the light provided by the moon through the window. His face was vampiric but it transformed back into normal. "Something doesn't feel right, like any second some ones gonna kill you" Josef said looking out the window.

"The only one trying to kill me is you" Sam accused. She inhaled very deeply. "There's no one here, I'm safe". Josef nodded for a moment. "And exactly how long are you going to stay safe? Humans are fragile Sam, one second your happy and lively, the next your six feet under" His tones were even but Sam sense the torment behind his words. "I'm going to die someday, and it's not like you can watch me every second of the day" Sam replied. Josef sighed "That's where you're wrong Sam, I can watch you every second of the day, and if does get to be too much I can just upgrade your arsenal"

Sam's body tensed. Did Josef just threaten to turn her? She felt herself crawling slightly backward. Josef scoffed "What are you actually afraid that I'm going to hurt to you". Sam involuntarily took another crawl back. "I'm not afraid of anything" Sam said feigning bravery. Josef was suddenly hurt "You're afraid aren't you, that I'm going to hurt you?"

There was a moment of silence. Then Josef's human façade ripped away, showing his true vampiric form. He roared in the most ungodly and powerful way. Then he was one top of Sam, straddling her and pinning her down. "All I want to do is protect you Sam" Josef said "maybe it's the only way I can think of to keep you safe"

Sam struggled under his iron strength. She reached blindly to the left where she stashed a stake. Josef growled again, about to bite. Sam couldn't reach the stake, but she decided on plan B. Sam quickly plunged her teeth into Josef's neck. He instantly fell into a trace. There were very hazy memories, of parties and freshies. Then a very clear image of beautiful woman came into her mind. This woman was the love of his life. More information passed. Things about companies and name changes flashed. Then she saw herself through his eyes. She was sitting at a table with Charlie, rolling her eyes on occasion. It was all very vivid, so that she could even see the specks of green in her brown eyes.

Sam finally let go of her victim. She spit out what she could but knew that it would be a weeks before her body would start to age again. Sam quickly got out of the bed where Josef collapsed. She only had fifteen minutes to escape. Sam quickly took a few tiny wooden stakes into her purse and Josef's car keys conveniently in his pocket. Then she ran for it. The security was easy to get past, and she was out on the street again. She only then realized that she should have staked Josef but it was too late to go back

Sam drove Josef's Ferrari so fast that the wheels lost traction. She sped down the highway, and as far away from Josef as possible. She would have to ditch the car soon. It was bound to have a tracking device. Sam parked the car at the greyhound bus terminal. She then bought a ticket to Santa Maria, north was good, and spaces to evade were everywhere. She figured it would be her safest bet.

The bus arrived in five minutes. She got on the bus and waited for the driver to come and drive. It was a late night and she had no paper trail yet. Soon after her cash was out, she would have to use her cards. She would figure it out when she got there. She sat in the back of the bus. She was the only one on the bus. Sam took out some reading material. The driver quickly saw that there was one person in the back, and took off. Sam studied the person. It was just some middle aged fat guy. She inhaled the air. This guy hasn't been around any vampires lately.

They were safely blazing farther and farther away from her source of danger. She sighed in relief but then suddenly the bus came to a stop. There was a road block, they were searching for her. The driver got out of the bus. Sam listened very carefully. "Were looking for a girl that stole a red Ferrari" said a cop at the block. Sam had to think quickly. Her intelligence came up with an insane idea. She quickly took a stake from her purse and slid it across her cheek.

There was a scar there but it started to heal slowly. She had vampiric healing from drinking Josef's blood. In the back of her mind was also the blood lust, but she knew that blood would sate this fake thirst. Sam wiped the blood from her face.

The driver walked down the aisle. He looked at her and whispered into a walkie-talkie. "Does the culprit have a scar across her right cheek?" There was a reply "No". The voice wasn't Josef's. The description was given an hour ago before she had this fake week healed scar. The bus driver looked apologetic "I'm sorry miss. The cops are looking for woman who stole a car". Sam nodded understandingly. The Driver started the bus and drove off.

When Sam left the bus she reapplied the scar, to make it more convincing. The bus driver smiled as he drove away. Sam for the moment was dodging many dangerous people, the brothers were after her, and Josef was trying to turn her. Sam took a moment to breathe.

-----Meanwhile-----

"If you don't find her, I swear to god I'll break every bone in your body again and again" Josef threatened. Mick was pacing back and forth "It was your fault Josef". Josef responded savagely, at Mick and at the guilty voices in his head "I know, it's my fault" He screamed away his human face. "She's probably long gone right now, somehow escaped all the road blocks."

Josef closed his eyes for a moment, and pictured Sam. He had scared her away with all his fears of love and mortality. Then Josef felt an odd sense of peace, and had a strange vision of Sam eating breakfast in a well known hotel in Santa Maria. Josef opened his eyes suddenly "I know where she is".

-----Back to Sam -----

Indeed Sam was eating breakfast just as he imagined. She was about to fork a little more egg into her mouth when she felt an odd connection. The vampire was locating her at this very moment. It was this odd blood bond that they shared. She wondered if she shared bonds with all the vampires that she drank from. She tried to think of that other vampire only to realize that he was dead. Mick and Josef had already killed him. Though Sam never saw any of this, she seemed to somehow know.

Sam winced slightly at the sun. It was one of the down sides of the traits she took from Josef. His bloodlust was also in her veins but it was weak with age. The sun wasn't that bad, but she figured it was because she had only down a pint of his blood. Sam felt her face one last time, the scar was now gone.

Sam put down some money and quickly left. Josef had somehow found a way to track her with just his blood in her veins. She couldn't close off the connection, because some part of her wouldn't allow it. She confessed secretly to herself that though Josef scared her, and spiked every instinct in her to kill or run, she liked him. His charm and lewdness had gotten underneath her skin. She also acknowledged that fact that in a way they were similar. If she or Josef ever completely submitted to their instincts, many innocent vampires and people would die.

Sam suddenly sat down, feeling that this run was hopeless. She would somehow set boundaries and work with what she had. Josef might be dangerous but he was nowhere near the dangerous as Coralline was. She looked up at the sky and saw a helicopter in the distance. She knew it was him, and that's she was already spotted. The helicopter landed somewhere in the distant.

Sam dusted herself off as she saw a car drive towards her. Mick stepped out the car first to smooth things over. "Don't run away. Josef wants you to know that he's very sorry about the attack last night". Mick was walking slowly towards her. "It's alright Mick, I ran because I was spooked, but I'm fine now". Sam closed her eyes and tried to talk to Josef with this weird connection. "I know you're sorry, I forgive you" Sam thought to him. For a moment she thought this is all stupid, and it's not working. She then heard a reply in this connection "No I hear you, and you don't have to come back with us if you don't want to"

Sam thought something else to him. "Come out of the car Josef, let me see you". Josef complied immediately. When their eyes met, the mental connection closed off because it was no longer needed. Sam started to walk towards them now when a gun was fired. The bullet struck Sam in her chest. Both Mick and Josef looked towards the direction of the bullet. His scent was obscured because of the hot sunny weather weakening their senses. Josef quickly leaped up to the building of the sharp shooter. He growled and then snapped the man's neck.

Sam picked out the bullet in her chest. The pain almost caused her to pass out but her hunter genes wouldn't let her. The wound was bleeding profusely at first, but by the time Josef was by her side the wound had already half healed. Josef picked up her body and put it close to his. He cried out still with his vampiric face "Sam, please don't die". Sam was confused at first but then realized he was putting on a show. Someone was watching in the distant to see if the job was done. Sam laid still as if seeping death had finally grasped her. She allowed Josef to put her in the car. Mick and Josef had a fake fight just for kicks.

"We can't take her with us, people will ask questions. This will threaten out secrecy Josef" Mick fibbed. "I don't care. She's getting a proper burial" Josef spat pushing him out of the way. The both got in the car and drove back to the helicopter. Sam continued to pretend she was dead until they reached the copter. Josef carried her body to the copter and they rose into the sky.

Finally Sam felt safe and got up. "That was a good show, if they think I'm dead, I'll be safe" smiled Sam. Neither Mick nor Josef responded to her. Sam looked back and forth at their solemn faces. "What is going on" She thought. She looked back and saw herself still lying there. She froze for a second, realizing that she was dead. Sam began to hyperventilate, but some comforting thoughts entered her mind.

"If I was really dead, why would I still be here" Sam thought. This though comforted her. She reached toward her body and realized what was going on. The bullet she thought she removed was still in her chest. She had to get one of them to pull it out so she could reconnect with her body. The only problem was that they couldn't detect her at all.

"Take out the bullet" Sam screamed into Josef's face, but he seemed the same. This was bad


	3. Chapter 3

Sam exhaled feeling time slip between these realities. She would really be gone if he didn't take that bullet out of her chest. Josef didn't seem to hear her as she screamed. He sat holding her real hand in an anguished trance. Sam was running out of time, once the vampiric blood in her system ran out, she would die. She measured her time. The blood would have lasted a few weeks before the shot, but now it had to heal several places. The gun wound was already healed over, but it was the damaged point. She was using most of the blood at this site to keep herself alive.

The bullet had hit her chest and stopped her heart. Vampires didn't need to have heart beats the stay alive. They just needed it to move, thus explaining why stakes caused paralysis. Sam was glad she had vampiric characteristics from drinking or else she would be dead. However, she couldn't eat or drink real food either. The vampiric blood could only nourish and keep her alive for so long. She estimated that she only had maybe a day or two left to live.

"Josef, listen to me I'm right here" Sam whined as tears soaked her long eyelashes. Josef suddenly looked in her direction as if she heard her. Mick looked at Josef "What's wrong?" He asked. Josef stood fixated at the spot where Sam's "spirit" was. He looked back down and slightly shook his head "It's nothing Mick, I think the trauma is getting to, I'm hearing voices"

Mick stood still, feeling like he was stepping on egg shells. Josef wasn't very stable right now, capable of anything except acceptance. Josef exhaled and looked out the window. "I'm so sorry Sam in the end It was me who killed you" He said as his voice broke. Sam looked into his eyes. She didn't blame him. It was just the way things happened.

"It's okay Josef, I don't hold any grudges" Sam said but he didn't seem to hear here. Sam had to figure out what made Josef hear her before. They landed now back in los angles. Sam closed her eyes for a moment to meditate. She had to connect with Josef.

When she opened her eyes she was no longer with them. She panicked for a moment, as orbs of light surrounded her. She spun around but it was just endless glow everywhere. "Oh no, I'm dead I'm really dead" She screamed. "Yea I know. I'm really sorry about that" a voice said behind her. She turned to see Josef looking apologetic. His eyes seemed to subdue her anger and panic. "Josef, I didn't want to die" Sam said desperately. Josef laughed but his eyes were in pain. "Aren't figments of my imagination supposed to say that it's alright?" Sam crossed her arms and pouted. "I'm just keeping it real. Also, you're the figment to comfort me in death" She said childishly.

Sam sat down in this glowing world. She looked around at all the orbs of lights. "This must be hell" She said more to herself "Josef, I wish you could have heard me. If only took that bullet out of my chest" Josef looked confused and sat beside her. "What do you mean?" Josef said. Sam sighed wondering if she should torment Josef with the fact that her death could have been preventable. She realized that this Josef wasn't even the real Josef so I didn't matter. "Vampires don't die when they get shot, it was just that the bullet hit my hearts" Sam began. "You're not a vampire Sam, humans die when they get shot in the heart" Josef interjected. Sam nodded for a moment, agreeing. "That's true but when I was shot, I had your blood in my veins. I was just paralyzed by the bullet. But now I guess the blood has run out and I'm dead" Sam sighed. She looked to her left, but Josef was already gone.

Josef awoke with a start. He was in a car, he must have dosed off for a moment. Beside him was Sam, still as dead as ever. Mick looked at him "You okay?" he asked. Josef inhaled for a moment. "I just had a weird dream, where Sam was telling me to take the bullet out of her chest" Josef said into the window. He shrugged but then he reopened the wound and slowly took out the bullet out of Sam chest.

"I'm sorry Sam, I hope your angry spirit doesn't haunt be for defacing the corpse" Josef said. The body remained still. Josef was still hopeful that Sam would come back to life, like she said in his dreams. There wasn't any movement. Mick shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "We should probably call the dead girl's parents". Josef exploded at those words. He suddenly was a barbaric vampire with his hand around his best friend's neck. "Her name is Samantha, not dead girl" roared Josef.

Sam's body came back to like. She wheezed and sputtered out her human blood. "Actually I prefer to be called Sam". Josef quickly let go of his friend and embraced Sam. "You're alive, Sam" he said with devotion soaking every word. Sam was weak right now. She was feeling hazy and strange. She was floating in a glowing world one second then she was here. Josef was hell one moment, in heaven the next and the changing factor was one beating heart.

Sam desperately needed medical attention but they were speeding down a highway far from any hospital. Sam hated herself for this but she bit into Josef as he held her. Josef didn't struggle and even help support her. Sam felt her strength return and any damaged tissue from lack of blood flow heal. She also saw visions of herself through Josef's eyes.

She stopped drinking at the one pint mark. She let him go and turned her whole body away. "I hate drinking, I makes me what I kill" Sam said looking away from Josef. Josef was happy though, to give anything of himself, to keep Sam alive. "It's alright Sam, I'm just glad you're alive… again" Josef said as the wound on his neck healed. He was feeling like his sarcastic and cheeky self again. Sam however was feeling more and more like a monster. She should have died as a human but instead lived like a monster.

Sam felt this way now but in death she would have done anything to be with Josef and she knew it. Sam tried to shrug it off but her hunter's instincts were flaring up. She stifled down her instincts, screw them. She turned back to Josef who was willing to do anything to protect her. His arms were open to embrace her. She allowed this, putting her arms around him and laying her head on his chest. Mick sensing this was a private moment leaped through the "moon" roof and disappeared.

They were silent, comforting each other. The car stopped back at Josef's house. Sam let go of Josef and stepped out. The sun was bright, and slightly painful. Sam quickly ran into the shaded house, back the pool of bathing women. Josef walked in after wishing for the first time that he was human, the sun shining on his face was causing him sever weakness but just the moment he had the façade of human. He was gently strolling down the walk way, as if he were any other human man.

Sam waited for him in the shadows of his mansion. When he arrived she took his hand and yanked him from the damaging light. "Josef, what do you want? To burn" Sam pulled him along. Josef began to joke, hiding his sudden need for mortality. He never understood Mick until this moment. "Just trying to get a little tan baby" Josef Joked. Sam rolled her eyes. They were in the living room now, one of the many in this mansion. Two freshies were sitting on the couch. Once they caught sight of Josef, they were all over him. "Where were you, baby?" The blond one asked. Sam scoffed "Yea why don't you tell them where you were, baby". Sam said the word baby in a particularly mocking way. Sam walked away coolly as if she wasn't jealous.

Sam was in the kitchen now. She wondered if this vamp kept any food around. Then again, she couldn't eat until the vamp blood in her system was processed out. She sucked her teeth at the glamorous kitchen, wondering why he even had one. Suddenly someone walked in that sent a wave of nostalgia, as some past life from two days ago.

"Is that you, Charlie?" Sam said uncertainly. Charlie let out a sigh of relief, and then embraced her. "Oh my god, I thought you were dead, when you disappeared after the meeting I figured that Josef kill…" Charlie paused. Sam pushed him away. "You knew that they were all vampires" Sam accused. "We were going to tell you when you were more established" Charlie defended.

"Charlie, you just left me in a room with six killer vampires. Don't act all happy to see me" Sam yelled. "Secrecy is everything to them, if I had protected you, my family would have been killed" Charlie defended. Sam was quiet for a moment, stepping back and looking at the situation. "Listen Sam, when I lost you, I nearly went crazy" Charlie said.

Sam stepped back now realizing what was coming. "Losing you made me realize how much I love you" Charlie confessed. Sam's face was very serious at the moment. It was then that Josef appeared behind her. "Hmmm Sam, what do you have to say to that" Josef said jokingly, and yet he was tense waiting for her answer.

Sam stuttered for a moment. Charlie was ten years older than her, they had met in college. He was one of her professors. "It would never work. The age difference…" Sam lost her voice. Josef continued for her "Is just too small, she prefers men at least two hundred years older". Sam shot Josef a glare that silenced him. Charlie blinked and absorbed this horrid new reality. "Oh, are you two…" Charlie was unable to finish. "She is mine" Josef said dominantly, and then he pulled Sam close to him. Sam scoffed indignantly but Josef stopped her from saying a smart remark. He whispered into her ear so that Charlie could hear it too. "I'm yours Sam. I belong to you." He said.

Sam pushed Josef away. "I don't belong to anyone and I don't own any vampires either" She said and stalked off. Josef was unfazed. His face was still human yet there was something very dangerous about it now. "Don't take comfort from that, Sam is with me, do you understand?" He said menacingly to Charlie. Charlie nodded but didn't say anything. "Go get back to work Charlie" Josef signaled. Charlie left with an ambivalent expression on his face.

Sam was pacing in her room, huffing and puffing. "Who does he think he is" She said to herself. Sam belonged to no one. She had only loyalties to herself. Her hunter instincts flared up again and she began to caught up blood. Josef was in the room in a matter of seconds.

"Are you alright, I smell blood" Josef said in a panicked voice. Sam inhaled deeply for a moment. "I'm fine, don't you recognize it. It's yours," Sam said. Josef inhaled and realized it was true, she was coughing up the blood she drained from him. "You didn't throw up that other guys blood" Josef said "Maybe something is wrong with mine". Sam shook her head "No, my body chemistry is in synch with my emotions. Right now I'm really angry with a certain vampire."

"If you're angry with the choice of words, I can always change it. Instead of you belong to me, how about I'm hopelessly in love with you" Josef said in a vulnerable tone. Her body was accepting vampiric blood again, the woozy feeling in her stomach subsided. "We can't be together. It's dangerous" Sam said stepping back. Josef was nodding slightly in an understanding manner but they he lunged at Sam.

She fell back into the bed with Josef on top of her. "I don't care" he said then bent down to kiss her. Sam returned his kiss. Sam never realized how just how much passion she had kept buried. It was an intense moment, and her vision was hazy. It was a state of feeling that she never experienced. Then she felt a sharp pain in her neck. It took her a few moments to realize that she had been bitten.

The pain quickly subsided. Sam moaned coaxing Josef to go on. Josef never thought blood could be this good, and yet he hated that he was doing this. His inner vampire wouldn't allow him to stop no matter how he felt. He could feel almost the emotions passing through her and her heart beating. He even tasted some of his own blood in her. Her very life was flowing into him. She made a movement as indication for him to stop.

Josef forced himself to let her go, using every ounce of his will power. Sam's wound healed up, because of the vampiric blood still in her veins. She didn't move for a moment as the adrenaline and high subsided. It was a dark desire that was fulfilled right then. It was something she wanted though she didn't even have until then. Josef looked down at her almost apologetically. "I'm sorry Sam. I didn't mean for it to go that far" He said.

There was so much heat and blood everywhere that Josef's senses were all dulled. It was then that behind him, Charlie appeared and shot a silver bullet at Josef. The bullet went into his back and stuck in his heart. Sam immediately got up as Josef fell over. "Charlie what are you doing" Sam screamed. "You let this monster touch you" Charlie accused.

"You ran away at the meeting room, left me for dead. Why should it matter now?" Sam said. "I didn't know how much I loved you. I was burying my feelings because I knew you were so young" Charlie said. Sam didn't move. "What are you going to do? Shoot me" Sam said as fear passed through her eyes. "I would never hurt you? But you have to make a choice, me or him" Charlie said. He then pointed the gun to himself. Sam tried to get up but Charlie yelled "Don't move, just answer me" He said threateningly.

Sam stood still, her mind was racing. What was she going to do?


	4. Chapter 4

Charlie's hand was shaky. He was sweating profusely. "Sam, when I first saw you, I thought it was bring your kid to work day" Charlie spoke. Sam was nodding and trying to calm him down. "Yes Charlie, I remember" Sam said in a very slow and comforting way. "You sat down in class and opened your pink laptop. You looked up, just daring me to ask" Charlie laughed with the gun still pointed at his head.

"I asked you how old you were, and you said fourteen like it didn't matter" Charlie recanted. Sam nodded but was still panicked. "I remember now why don't you put down that gun" Sam said thinking of ways to disarm him. Charlie shook his head. "Not until you answer me Sam" He bargained. Sam had to keep talking but she just couldn't say that he loved him.

"You came up to me and tried to kick me out, and when I refused you challenged me with an advanced calculus problem. You said I could stay for the rest of the term if I solved it." Sam said. Charlie nodded and smiled. "I turned my back and you shouted the answer. You didn't even take out a piece of paper" Charlie said. He was smiling and then it faded. "That was it Sam, the moment I fell for you" He said. "It was sick back then but now we have a chance" He said desperately. Sam's eyes filled with tears, "Please Charlie, don't do this".

Charlie laughed, "I don't have anything to live for. It was your brain that gave me hope. You were going to change the world and I was going to help you". Sam shook her head and her tears flew off in tangents. "Charlie, I still need you. Please don't do this". Sam was crying like she never cried before. Remnants her childish fourteen year old self came to the surface.

Josef couldn't move but it shook his very core listening to Sam cry. He yearned to help her and comfort her. His heart had another dark desire as well. He wanted Charlie to shoot himself and get it over with. Josef's fears were creeping up on him. Was it a possibility that Charlie could win Sam over. Charlie was smiling "You crying for me Sam that means so much to me" he said. Sam was gasping now between her words. "Don't do this….please…. I don't want to lose you….I don't want" Sam huffed.

Suddenly a blur flew at Charlie from the hall. He was disarmed instantly and knocked out. Sam saw Mick through a cloud of her tears. She was crying helplessly. "It's okay Sam. You're safe now" Mick said. He took a second to tie up Charlie to a chair. Mick then took a stake and pushed into Josef. The stake came out of the other side along with the bullet. He pulled the whole thing out of Josef's chest. Josef gasped back to life. "I need blood" Josef said. His face was vampiric because the need was so great. Mick pulled out a pack out of thin air and gave it to him.

Josef quickly downed it. Sam was quietly crying in the corner. Josef make sure not to splatter and take in the entire pack. Blood splatter made him look even more like an animal. He turned to Sam who looked somewhere in the distant. He raised his hand to brush her cheek. "Don't!" She said which caused Josef to jump back. "You threaten our families, and kill our friends" Sam said blackly. "Charlie loved me and he couldn't help me because of you"

"Sam, without the secret there would be war more terrifying than a biblical apocalypse" Josef plead "I'm old enough to remember, millions of people died even at the end" Sam shook her head "Vampires are freaks of nature, you shouldn't even be alive". She was shuddering and her eyes were black with hate. Mick put his hand on Josef's shoulder. "She's in shock, she doesn't know what she's saying" Mick said. Josef was still for a moment but then he embraced Sam against her will. She struggled violently against him "Let me go" She screamed. Josef continued to hold her, until finally she burst into tears. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean any of it" Sam cried out. Josef cooed "I know, Sam. Its okay" He said comfortingly.

Charlie jerked back to life. He found himself tied up. He saw that Josef was holding Sam while she cried on his shoulder. "I didn't mean it, I love you" She said. Josef froze at the word love. His heart was lifted up into eternity. She loved him and it was all that mattered. Charlie heard those words to and his soul was transformed. He suddenly felt like a monster, black with rage and hate. He struggled in his seat.

The vampires in the room turned to him. "I'm calling the cops" Mick said "You going away for a long time". Charlie laughed manically which cause Sam to crawl back into her corner. The cops came and took in away. They questioned everybody and by the end of it Charlie seemed like such a psychopath that even if he did spill their secret, no one would believe him.

Sam sat in a chair facing the setting sun. She looked out the window silently. Josef leaned into the door frame. "Do you want to talk about it" Josef asked. Sam turned to him and sighed. She didn't answer but just continued to look out the window. Josef sighed as well. Sam sat there for another hour and then she finally dozed off. Josef slowly crept in and lifted her up.

Josef laid her down in the bed covered her and left. Sam had a dream that meshed many things. She was running away from a mob ready to kill her. She ran with great vampiric speed into the forest. The trees would protect her. She then smelled something burning. She froze realizing that the humans had set the forest on fire to kill her. She continued to run away from the smoke but it was rapidly catching up. She suddenly found a small pond. She dived into the water to avoid the coming flames. The water grew hot, but hot water never killed anybody. She suddenly was somewhere else and someone else. Sam was dressed in full hunter gear. She was chasing someone. When she caught up and tackled him, she realized it was Josef. She stabbed him right in the chest.

Sam awoke with a start, drenched in her own sweat. Josef appeared in the room almost immediately. He was covered in a thin layer of frost, and only in his boxers. "What's wrong Sam?" He said hurriedly. Sam shook her head. "It was nothing, just a bad dream" She said then turned to look at him. Her bad dreams were immediately erased as she gave him the once over. "Are you checking me out" Josef joked. Sam smiled and invited him over, he accepted quickly.

Sam snuggled into him and let him kiss the top of her head. "Do you really love me Sam?" Josef asked. Sam was reluctant to say it again. Josef smirked, "Could you say it just once into a microphone? I want to show people that" He said. Sam giggled and snuggled in deeper. "You not wearing a wire right now are you?" She joked. "Hmmm I'm not wearing much of any, but check were you must" He joked back.

Sam raised her head and looked into Josef's eyes. Their lips were getting closer and closer and finally touched. The feeling was electric, sending twin shock waves down each of their spines. Josef smiled at her and brushed her cheek with his hand. "I'm not much of a mathematician but I did meet l'Hopital back in 1697". Sam marveled "You met the man who came up with a method for finding the limiting behavior of a rational function whose numerator and denominator tend to zero at a point. I'm so jealous" Sam said as he kissed him again. "He said something along those lines too, but it sounds so much sexier when you say it". Sam giggled and tried to remove her shirt when the phone by her bedside rang.

Josef growled and the irritation of the phone ringing managed to tear off his human face. His silver eyes were very annoyed. "Don't answer it Sam" He said but knew that she would answer anyway. "Hello" Sam answered. Her face blanched and as Josef could hear the phone with his vampiric hearing, his face became dark.

"Charlie managed to escape and he might be coming after you" Mick said sounding very tired and worried. "How did he escape?" said Sam almost screaming. Josef leaned back into the pillow exasperated. "There's no need to worry Sam, he's not coming back here" Josef assured. "I'm not worried about us, I worried that he's going to jump off the golden gate bridge" Sam spat. Josef's eyes brows furrowed playfully "Why yes, he's going to drive all the way to San Francisco just to end it all. Very dramatic, why didn't I think of that?" Josef said. Sam turned very suddenly "Don't patronize me" She yelled. Josef realized he was treading on delicate ground

Josef wanted to say "He was going to kill me, you and then probably himself. Why do you care if he drowns?" But he thought better of it. Josef decided to remain silent as Sam got up and dressed herself. "You can dress up all you want, but you're not leaving this house. There is no where safer than here, and you are nothing going out to look for you killer." Josef threatened. Sam had a face that was about the protest but the phone rang again. This time Josef answered.

"It's me, Mick… I searched the site where Charlie escaped. It was Coralline that helped him out" Mick said. Josef was still for a moment, "Alright let's go" he said to Sam. Sam couldn't believe what she heard. Was Charlie working for Coralline all along? It didn't make any sense. There was something going on that Sam missed. Her brain was on overload and lack of sleep at the moment.

Mick was searching over the crime scene again. It was definitely Coralline who broke him out. The last time Mick saw her, was when she was being taken away by Lance, her demented older brother. She had sacrificed herself so that Mick would be spared. That kind of sacrifice left a certain mark on his heart. He wondered if he found her again, would he be able to stop her from killing Sam. Beth was also investigating in her own way.

She was questioning the police officer that was driving. "All I remember is that he was there and when I checked again, he was gone" the young officer said. Mick listened to his even heartbeat. He was indeed telling the truth. It was hectic and yet Mick couldn't help but look at Beth being the pushy reporter that she was. He smirked to himself, and yet secretly hid from himself the amount of love he had for her.

A Lamborghini was appearing from the distant. Mick rolled his eyes, "Couldn't he have chosen something more discrete" He whispered to himself. The powerful red car rushed into the scene. It stopped right at the yellow caution tape. Josef stepped out first and opened the door for Sam. Sam looked tired and it was apparent even from Mick's point of view. But then again a vampire's sight didn't blur with distance.

"I can't believe this happened" Mick said apologetically. Josef was nodding "Yea, we should have killed him when we had the chance. We could have made it look like a suicide, wouldn't have been hard. Wouldn't have even need to tamper with the evidence" Josef said savagely. Sam shot him a glare that silenced him. She then inhaled to catch Corallines scent. The smell was from a very old vampire, it was dominating and yet very seductive. Sam burned this scent into her memory.

Mick and Beth were discussing things quietly amongst themselves. "That was quiet and act he pulled, working for Coralline like that". Beth was a little more skeptical "Don't jump to conclusion so fast" She said. Sam pushed herself into their little conversation "Maybe it's exactly was it looks like, Coralline might have just kidnapped Charlie. You know, to get a little leverage on us" Sam said, defending Charlie. "I can assure you that he definitely wasn't acting, I can smell liars" Josef said. "You had a bullet in your back, your senses were compromised" Mick said challenging him. "I know my wife, and she can definitely pull as sick mind game like this" Mick said. This caused Beth to gasp slightly. Mick had said wife instead of ex-wife.

Sam looked surprised. "Coralline is your wife?" She asked. Mick turned away for a moment. "She's my ex-wife". Beth's heart was pounding rapidly and every one could sense her discomfort. Sam's eyebrows furrowed, "So, you know your wife is capable of sick mind games. Is capable of kidnap" Sam said. At the word kidnap, Beth stalked off give a daggers glare at Mick. "Did I say something wrong?" Sam questioned. Josef sighed "Coralline is delicate matter for the two of them" Josef said leaning into Sam. Sam nodded and made a mental note to not ask questions about Coralline until she knew all the facts.

Suddenly super Mario theme song filled the Air. Josef picked his cell phone out of his pocket. "The eighties was good decade" He remarked and answered his phone. "I wouldn't, being a nineties baby" Sam said to herself. Josef quickly hung up his phone, his face serious. "What's up Josef?" Sam asked noticing his strange change. Sam couldn't hear the low voices on the phone figuring it was a vampire on the other side.

"And then there were three" Josef said ruffling his hair in frustration "Another one has just been knocked off". Sam felt the grip of death closing in on her throat. "I don't want to die" She suddenly blurted out. Josef pulled her into his arms. "I know Sam. I promise to do everything in my power to keep you safe" He said lovingly. Sam's instinct was not to place her life into hands of someone else, even if she loved him. "We should go check Charlie's apartment just in case" Sam said.

Josef nodded and the four of them got into in red Lamborghini. "Where is it Sam?" Josef asked. "In San Gabe" Sam replied. They reached the house in forty-five minutes. It was awkwardly silent between Mick and Beth. When they arrived everyone was glad to get of the car and out of each other's space. Mick went up to the door and he was about to pick the lock. Sam took out a pair of keys and said "No need".

Josef scoffed "You have a pair of keys to his house". Sam shrugged sensing the slight jealousy radiating off his voice. "We use to work together" Sam said. They entered the house and turned on the lights. There was no one there and they double checked with their noses.

Sam started searching in normal places. Mick smirked "You're an amateur. Nobody keeps their valuables in their bedrooms." Sam shrugged. "And where do you think it is, mister genius" Sam said annoyed. "You've been to this house before, anywhere you'd go he wouldn't leave anything incriminating" Mick said. Sam thought for a moment "I've never been in the attic. He always kept it looked". Mick smirked "We'll there you go" He said smugly.

Josef looked around at the house. "Hmmm I thought he was better paid than this" Josef said looking down on his surroundings. Sam shrugged "You did pay him well, but Charlie was funding a huge math study before…" Her voice trailed off. Mick busted his way into the attic door. What they saw there was very disturbing.

On the walls were many newspaper clippings of her exploits through out the years. One very old clipping read "Child genius baffles the great mathematicians of our time". Another read "Seventeen year old expert engineer". Josef was looking through some pictures. There were many of Sam smiling, on the beach, and even a few of her looking over building blue prints in white lab coat and goggles.

Choices, choices, choices, Josef figured he would be discrete and only take one for himself. Josef decided on the engineer shot and smoothly placed it into his jacket pocket. Sam edged up behind him. "That's just creepy" She exclaimed. "I hate to think what he did with those photos" She shuddered. Josef smiled as the photo in his own jacket pocket burned. "He was one sick pervert" Josef said hypocritically.

Sam scoffed, "I saw you put one in your jacket" she finally said with a smile on her face. "I never said I wasn't a sick pervert" Josef fibbed. "Honestly I'm flattered, show me which one you took" Sam said reaching into his pocket. Josef playfully protected his photo. "Now now, it's better to just guess what I find sexy about you" He said. Sam quickly snatched the photo. "Oh, so you like the brains" She said.

Then her smile faded. "This blue print was my first design" She said. She turned over the photo and saw some number scribbled in pen. It read "27/3 25/3 23/3" she looked at it for a concentrated moment. "What do these numbers mean" Josef said. "It was a way that I described floor plans for the building, it describes how many support pillars were one each floor." Sam shook her head then "On the twenty-seventh floor I started to add more pillars, this should say four instead of three"

Josef shrugged, "Maybe one of them isn't a support pillar". Realization dawned on her face "I remember that the fourth pillar was hollow, we didn't need the extra support until the 28th floor". Mick suddenly jumped into the conversation "You think he could have put anything inside the pillar". Sam nodded, it was plausible. Charlie always added things to buildings. It was like his own personal signature.

"Maybe we can find out some answers Sam" Josef said.


	5. Chapter 5

Mick inhaled trying to see what was inside the pillar. The answer was instantaneous. "It's one of the dead bodies in there". Sam stepped back "A dead vampire body is in there. This doesn't mean anything. Charlie is just being framed, he would never work with Coralline" Sam said. Josef was skeptical. "He was about to blow his brains out, I think he could have told Coralline where to hide the bodies" Josef said defacing Charlie.

Mick was a little more objective. "Could Coralline known about this any other way? And by the way why did you add a hollow support beam, seems tedious" Mick asked. Sam shrugged "It was ordered by the higher ups, an artistic decision. I would never understand the frivolousness of it" She said. "Who made the orders on the building" Mick asked. Sam was beginning to see something. "Well, it was a lot of business partners, but I never met a vampire during construction. In fact I've never seen any vampires here, not even after the place opened."

Mick thought about "Maybe Coralline was one of the silent partners. She constructed a way to store the bodies. Maybe you just got caught in the crosshairs". Sam nodded then she tapped on the pillar once more. "Call the cleaners" Mick said, "If a human discovers this, we'll all be in trouble". Mick was about to dial his phone when he caught a smell in the air. Sam inhaled it too. The scent was dominating and alluring.

"I'm afraid I can't let you make that call" said a voice in the shadows. Coralline stepped out holding a very scared person. "Don't do anything she says, Sam" Charlie screamed while in the Corallines clutches. "Shut up before I break your neck" Coralline said darkly. Mick stood forward.

"I wouldn't do that Mick, then again I wouldn't have wasted the cure on you if you were just going to squander it" Coralline said venomously. "I've done everything just to be with you. My family would have killed you Mick. They considered you a disgrace to our royal blood. Now, put down that phone". Mick slowly put down the phone.

"Lance still has the box, and I'm destitute. I can't order anymore of that plant. Josef I want you to wire me a million right now, and don't trying anything or he's dead." Coralline said threateningly. "Personally, I don't mind" Josef said. Sam turned to him, her eyes were pleading. He was adamant. Coralline was smiling, "I guess it's time to say good bye Charlie". Sam screamed "Wait, I'll wire it to you". Coralline thought about it for a moment. "It doesn't matter where I get it from" She said. She then tossed a phone to Sam, already opened to the wire. "You're account there in the little white box sweetie" Coralline said. The word sweetie made Beth flinch. Sam wired Coralline all of her life's savings. She then tossed the phone back to Coralline.

"The plant you're ordering is never going to cure you guys" Sam said spitefully. These words seemed to hurt Mick more than Coralline. "Hmmm, I have brilliant scientists at my disposal" Coralline cooed unfazed. She then backed up with Charlie, letting him go at the last second and jumping out the window. Sam ran to Charlie, "You're alright Charlie". She embraced him. Suddenly Josef tore her away from him and pinned him to the wall. Sam struggled against Josef's barrier between them.

Josef quickly tossed her way, so that she smashed into Mick. "I'll wire you the worth of his life" Josef said to Sam. Sam tried to step back but Mick held her in place. Mick had never seen his friend like this, there was insanity in his eyes. He was only protecting Sam right now, keeping her away from this ravaging monster.

Josef turned to Sam with his hand still pinning Charlie to the ground. "Why does he mean so much to you?" Josef said. Sam didn't know how to respond. "He's just my friend. I love you not him" Sam said to Josef. Josef wasn't in a state of belief at the moment. "Prove it" Josef said while tightening his grip on Charlie. "How?" Sam asked with tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. Josef thought for a moment.

"Let me turn you" Josef said finally. Charlie struggled for a moment. "Don't let him touch you Sam" Charlie rasped. Josef then tightened the grip so far that Charlie couldn't breathe. The clock was ticking. Her slayer instincts were telling her that she should kill him. It was a dark feeling to hate the one that you love. Sam nodded finally. Josef tossed Charlie away.

His face was suddenly demonic as he took a limp Sam and bit into her. He tasted everything that she felt. There was this black hatred that was buried deep within her genes. He also tasted the love she had for him. It was true, she did love him. There was a sea of sorrow beneath her skin. Yet Josef pushed on no matter how much Sam was hurt. He wanted her to be with him no matter how dark that relationship was. Sam was near death now when she tasted his blood.

Sam was weak but her slayer self would not allow her to become the thing she hunted. Sam turned her head to the side and spit out the blood. Sam's heart already stopped, she was almost gone. Josef groaned, feeling Sam life slip. He sucked in his own blood into his mouth then kissed Sam forcing the blood into her.

Sam struggled as much as a nearly dead person could but she swallowed. Josef was now expecting her to wake up as a new being, tied to him. He was her sire, and her anything he wanted her to be. Yet his own guilt was beginning to tug as his conscience. He waited but Sam did not wake. Panic shot through Josef. Maybe he couldn't sire and all his victims would just become sleeping beauties forever.

Sam's spirit was again drifting in an ocean of glowing souls. She was groggy. Suddenly someone tapped on her shoulder. She turned to see a young man with an eye color mirroring her own. "Who are you?" She asked. The man turned away for a moment. "Why are you here Sam, did you die?" He said mournfully. Sam looked around "Maybe, the lasting thing I remember was Josef trying to turn me". Suddenly the sad man perked up. "Oh, then you're not dead. This is only temporary" He said.

"Who are you?" Sam questioned. "I'm…. your father" The man said "I know it sounds ridicules and ripped from star wars but its true" Sam shook her head. She knew her father and he was living with her mother in San Francisco. Then it dawned on her. "I was adopted" She said. The man nodded "You can call me Jacob instead of dad, if you want" he said considerately.

Sam was silent for a moment, absorbing this information. "Where are we" Sam asked. Jacob looked around "We are in the transitory state, I can come here and you can come here. But the dead can't come back to life and the living must die before they cross over." Jacob said" Sam thought for a moment "What's it like on the other side" She asked. Jacob laughed "I can't explain it". Sam smiled but then she felt herself fading. "Oh I guess you have to go" Jacob said but he was smiling still. "Wait I have so much to ask you" Sam said forcefully making herself stay. Jacob was grave. "Don't do that or you might not be able to go back". Sam was struggling. "I had a bank vault with all our slayer history" He said. He quickly gave her the number. Sam was pacified and let herself go.

Josef was shaking Sam's body furiously. She finally moaned back to life. Relief washed over Josef. Sam blinked her eyes open. She was a vampire now. Her senses were double than when she was human. The thirst was unbelievable. Sam looked with hungry eyes at Beth. Mick stepped in front of Beth and sent a warning growl to Sam. Mick remembered the feral hunger that came from being a new born. Sam then looked at Charlie who was lying on the floor unconscious. Sam could barely hold herself back. Josef smirked. It would make his day to watch Sam kill Charlie.

"Go ahead, sate your hunger" Josef said to a feral Sam. Sam stepped back. She would not allow herself to do this. She just closed her eyes and sat down. She rested her back to the wall. Josef watched her suffering goddess and again felt the guilty conscience. "She needs a blood pack" Josef said. Mick had one under his coat. In fact he always brought one with him. Taking care of Beth was dangerous work.

He handed the pack to Sam. Sam felt the raw hunger conflicting with her slayer senses. It was a surprised that her slayer sense could still be intact. She needed them now to protect her from herself. Sam tossed the pack into the distant. Josef bent down to console her. "You're one of us now, there's no need to fight it" He said. Josef went to retrieve the blood pack.

"You need it" He said as he passed it to her. "I don't want it" Sam screamed with her fangs bared. Her body was feeling confused. Her slayer senses was telling her not to drink but her vampiric senses were telling her to consume it and more. Her eyes flashed to Charlie for a moment. Josef picked up on it. He dropped the pack and brought defenseless Charlie over to her. Mick stopped him. "What are you doing Josef" He said darkly. "I'm giving her what she really wants" Josef replied with a wicked grin.

Sam shifted again feeling something else. She was producing her own blood. Her system had somehow kicked in to protect her from consuming others. Sam felt her fangs subside, something was impossible until after the first feed. Josef looked at her astounded. Sam was still hungry but she trusted herself to protect Charlie. She had her vampiric strength as well. She grabbed Charlie. At first they thought she was going to drain him. Beth stood horrified.

Sam tossed him over her shoulder and jumped out the twenty-seventh floor window. Josef tried to follow but Sam sent a growl so dark that he was taken aback. Beth was the first to speak. "Go after her Mick before she kills him" Beth screams. Mick jumps out the window and pursues Sam. Mick followed her all the way to her apartment.

Mick leaped in through the window. Sam laid Charlie onto her bed. She then went into the bathroom and got a wet towel for his forehead. Mick was surprised so much that his mouth was gaping. "You're not drinking from him" He said astounded. Sam walked around and then realized that her apartment was repaired from the last time. She looked around and saw something funny on the table. It was a picture of Josef and a note under that said "You owe me". Sam smiled despite her anger. Sam was ready to be with him before this whole incident. Mick was pale, more than usual. "You were able to resist him, you were able to control your own monster" He said stunned.

Sam was serious. I think there's something genetically wrong with me. She finally said. She then came closer to Mick. Mick inhaled, "There's human blood in your veins, you've taken a drink" He accused. He looked over at Charlie but he knew she didn't drink from him. Sam looked at her hands. "I don't know what's happening, but I producing my own blood like a human". Sam was smiling suddenly. "Every second I feel less and less like a vampire". Mick couldn't believe it, and he couldn't believe how jealous he was. Sam had genes that wouldn't allow her to become a vampire. Even now her body was processing the vampiric blood. Sam suddenly coughed up some of Josef's blood. "Ugg I hope it's gone soon" She said wincing.

"You don't know how lucky you are" Mick said. Sam looked at him and suddenly realized why he sounded so hurt. "You want to be human like me" Sam said as her vampiric smell subsided. "How can this happen, what kind of genes do you have" Mick said sadly. Sam gave a Mick a pat on the back. "I'm sorry Mick, maybe one day there will be a cure" Sam said soulfully.

Josef was suddenly crouching in the open window. "Sam" He said but didn't know what else to say. He thought he should go over the works "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. Being in love with you makes me Crazy. I'm so jealous of Charlie, he's like some insignificant fly that unfortunately you have to protect." Josef was pouring out everything that he felt "When I saw you sitting with him, the first time I met you, I already hated him. I was so glad that it was a business dinner that I nearly jumped for joy. The way you smell, your brain, your spunk, your warmth, your eyes, your strength, even the way you look when you're asleep, drives me crazy." He confessed. "The thought of you hating me, having nothing to do with me, makes me suicidal" Josef couldn't believe how much he wanted to say "I'm crazy in love with you."

Sam stood there absorbing the extent of his feelings. "I love you Josef but this can't work" she finally said. There was a cruel rush of reality hitting Josef. "Just go, please the both of you" Sam said holding back her feelings. Josef and Mick left solemnly. Sam sat by the window for a moment and whispered her feelings into the night air. "The way you smile, your cool exterior, your tormented interior, the jokes, the way you make me feel, drives me crazy. I'm crazy in love with you" She said into the darkness.

The years pass.

Josef looked upon grave. The stone reads Samantha Hartley. He cringed at the last name. She had married Charlie after all. That was all in the past. His beautiful Sam was in a better place. Josef placed a single red rose on the grave and turned into his car. God everything reminded him of her. Even the engine in his car was a product of her genius. The world was full of her bright inventions. She had invented the first completely green fueled car, and before her death she was about to unveil her plans for affordable space travel. Josef had kept track of her all these years. He shed a single tear as he drove off into the horizon.


End file.
